Wolfpack would like to add to mastery of Tar Heels

North Carolina State receiver Bryan Underwood, here running from Maryland's Dexter McDougle last week, has scored at least one touchdown in every game this season.

The Associated Press

By Bob Sutton / Times-News

Published: Saturday, October 27, 2012 at 01:07 AM.

CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina coach Larry Fedora was told about the importance of the matchup with North Carolina State “probably on that first handshake” upon taking the job with the Tar Heels.

Now the task is in clearer focus as the teams collide this afternoon at Kenan Stadium.

N.C. State has won five consecutive meetings. The Wolfpack has never won six in a row in this series.

“It’s been a one-sided situation for the last five years,” Fedora said. “That’s something that obviously our guys are aware of and our fans are very much aware of. Everybody in the program is aware of what has to be done.

“It’s something our fans have made it aware to me what they would like to happen.”

On the other side, N.C. State coach Tom O’Brien knows how to do it. He’s 5-0 as the Wolfpack’s coach against North Carolina.

If anything, the Wolfpack has a motivating element on its side other than keeping control of its destiny in the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Atlantic Division. After all, O’Brien was asked this week about the perception that North Carolina has had better talent and teams than the Wolfpack during this span.

CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina coach Larry Fedora was told about the importance of the matchup with North Carolina State “probably on that first handshake” upon taking the job with the Tar Heels.

Now the task is in clearer focus as the teams collide this afternoon at Kenan Stadium.

N.C. State has won five consecutive meetings. The Wolfpack has never won six in a row in this series.

“It’s been a one-sided situation for the last five years,” Fedora said. “That’s something that obviously our guys are aware of and our fans are very much aware of. Everybody in the program is aware of what has to be done.

“It’s something our fans have made it aware to me what they would like to happen.”

On the other side, N.C. State coach Tom O’Brien knows how to do it. He’s 5-0 as the Wolfpack’s coach against North Carolina.

If anything, the Wolfpack has a motivating element on its side other than keeping control of its destiny in the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Atlantic Division. After all, O’Brien was asked this week about the perception that North Carolina has had better talent and teams than the Wolfpack during this span.

But it’s the Tar Heels who are the ones feeling unfilled at this point. They’re already banned from playing in the postseason because of probation, so today’s game would seem to have heightened importance.

“I don’t want to leave my senior year and say I lost to Duke and State,” North Carolina defensive tackle Sylvester Williams said. “That would just be devastating to me.”

There’s no lack of motivation flowing from the Wolfpack camp, either.

“If you can’t get hyped for the Carolina game, you shouldn’t even walk on the field that day,” N.C. State safety Earl Wolff said. “That’s the way we feel. That’s the way everybody feels.”

None of the N.C. State players has lost to North Carolina.

“We don’t want to be the class that loses,” said Wolff, a senior. “Like I said, if you can’t get hyped for the Carolina game, I don’t know why you are here.”

Even for an N.C. State program that has relished taking down the Tar Heels in recent seasons, that won’t matter if the result goes North Carolina’s way this time.

“We can’t depend on what happened in the past,” said N.C. State running back Tony Creecy, who’s from Durham and described himself as a North Carolina fan growing up. “We’ve got to write our own history.”

North Carolina is coming off last week’s loss at Duke. The Tar Heels are 2-2 against in-state opponents this year, though 0-2 against conference opponents falling under that tag.

“I think it will be a great atmosphere,” Fedora said. “It’s a typical rivalry game. That’s one of the great things about college football — the passion the fans have in a rivalry.”

North Carolina nose tackle Tim Jackson will be out for a couple of weeks with a knee injury.

“This hasn’t been the first week that we’ve had somebody down,” Fedora said. “The next guys steps up, prepares himself and gets ready to go.”

The Tar Heels also will be without backup linebacker Shakeel Rashad, who will serve a one-game suspension from the ACC for a hit on a Duke player.

O’Brien said the Wolfpack’s major chores will include the team’s defensive line trying to put pressure on North Carolina quarterback Bryn Renner. He said the Tar Heels have an offensive line that’s seasoned and effective.